I'm Still an Iris Girl

They just bowl me over this time of year! Eleanor Roosevelt has to be my favorite (above, center). The falls (lower petals) are almost black. Gorgeous! On the left, Belvi Queen, which has been blooming on and off year round. On the right, Victoria Falls, so big and tall and ruffly and lovely and blue!

Above, Eternal Bliss with Autumn Circus in the background. The beards aren't looking as bright orange from this angle.


Autumn Circus in front, with such striking stripes. The white guy is English Cottage, a strongly scented variety. Then, Victoria Falls and Belvi Queen again.


Left: Persian Berry, away from the others in the back yard, but surrounded by about a trillion plain purple bearded irises. The Persian Berry stalks tower way above all the others. Right: A magnificent Belvi Queen.



Finally, Dixie Deb Louisiana iris blooming for the first time in our pond. The stalk shot up five feet (or a little over five feet) to elevate the flowers beyond the palm fronds. (I circled the first bloom, above-left.) This has been a cr-azy plant to watch grow all along. First, this massive hairy rhizome grew right out of the side of the pot and over the edge of the center-pond planting area. It grew longer and longer into the deeper water where the pond pump is and produced a big tangle of free-hanging roots before the leafing-out really began. The roots keep invading the pump's box filter. This winter (if you can really call it "winter" in SoCal), all the pictured fans got huge. Now, we have crazy-tiny but intensely bright flowers on that crazy-tall stalk. I love it!

Odds & Ends for Mom & Dad

Calla lilies that get shade most of the day finally blooming. They're happy they don't get scorched like the ones in full sun.



Northern Mockingbird, Tennessee State Bird, reminds me of my childhood. Whenever we rode our big wheels to close to the cedar tree near our driveway, a mother m-bird would shoot out of the tree to peck us about the heads and necks. One day dad suggested we steer clear of the cedar tree when there were babies in the nest if we didn't enjoy being pecked about the heads and necks, and from that point onward, our relationship was more peaceful.

This is one of the pair who have built a nest in the lemon tree that overhangs our roof on the west side. I was flattered they used my silver pony foot vine to build their nest. They're more occupied with chasing Ravens away from their nest than pecking us about the heads and necks, and we're grateful for that. Of course, m-birds remind Bradley more of the lovely duet in Dumb & Dumber than Tennessee's State Birdhood. But that's a whole other therapy session!


Speaking of birds... Dad, this is my new scarecrow (and the new solar landscape light). Here you can see (to the right) the Sea Pinks that sprouted up to set off the motion detector (repeatedly, constantly) while we were up in San Francisco. You can see my main Calla Lilly plant, some Dianthus, some succulents, and a bit of Prickly Pear.


Speaking of Prickly Pear... Ma, this is what my prickly pear flowers look like, unlike my neighbor's, which are yellow and more petal-having. I wonder what color yours will be?


Bird of Paradise. Still looking a bit rugged after the cold snap. But still nice. Prehistoric-looking, I think.


Avocado tree, finally out of the pot and into the ground. Sigh. (It's a long story.) It's about 4 feet tall and has since been properly watered-in and mulched.


Yuletide Camellia, spent blossom hanging on since January. (It's a winter bloomer.) That's a sad thing about spring. Just one.

P.S. State [Whatevers] must have a powerful effect on me. My favorite flower is the Bearded Iris, Tennessee State Flower. And who doesn't love the Grizzly Bear, the California State Critter? By the way, my favorite State Fossil has to be California's Saber-toothed Cat, named as such in my very year of birth!